4 Years Like Forever
by LovelyVentures
Summary: Ikuto left with his father for America, but a new Easter tracks them down and arranges an 'accident'. Amu believes Ikuto to be dead, however, he is very much alive. 4 years later they meet again but why is Ikuto still 17 after 4 years? AMUTO!
1. Prologue

**4 Years Like Forever – A Shugo Chara Fic**

**A/N- THIS USED TO BE PREVIOUSLY TITLED TIME STANDS STILL. ITS SOMETHING I THOUGHT OF AND FELT LIKE WORKING ON. IT TAKES PLACE AFTER IKUTO LEAVES TO TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH HIS DAD. NEITHER HE NOR AMU HAVE SHUGO CHARAS ANYMORE. I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY IT. REVEIWS ARE APPRECIATED. **

**Prologue**

**Ikuto Pov:**

The rain poured down outside the window of the car. It had been six months since I had left Japan, and my father and I were currently in the United States. We had been to a lot of places in those six months, traveling from over Europe, China, and now the United States. A lot of people heard Aruto and his son play, and it seemed we were steadily growing more and more popular. More people all over the world started recognizing us even. Just the other day I had a girl come running up to me, wanting my autograph. I wasn't used to that, sure a lot of the girls in my high school had always come up to me, but never for my autograph before. My father and I had grown pretty close too, it's amazing how easy it's been to forget the years when I hated him for leaving Utau, Mom, and I but I know why he did that now. It been great really, and I don't have to worry about getting caught for skipping school all of the time either, because I've been taking classes online where you can just do the work when you feel like it.

I call my Mom and Utau sometimes too, Utau always being extremely excited when I call. She does get a little annoyed though with me when I do though because I always ask about Amu. She gets mad then, and whines about 'why it's always about her (Amu)?' but I know she really isn't that jealous anymore. She's started going out with Kukai, Amu's friend, and I know she really must like him because she's always talking about him according to Mother. Personally, I'm just glad she's finally gotten over her brother obsession.

The one person I really want to see and talk to though, it seems I never get around to calling though. Amu. I've tried, but I never really know what to say. After the scene at the airport, it's not as if I can tease her so much anymore though I will certainly try the next time I see her. I smirked at the thought. I did text her a couple of times, just telling her about her travels, but she always had to go because of the times differences she was always either in school or almost asleep whenever I called her. I frowned, as I watched the rain hit the pavement as we road down the intersection. I really missed her. Soon though, I thought to myself. Soon I would see her again. Dad had decided the other day that he would like to go back to Japan for a little while, he missed my Mother and I knew my Mother missed him. Then while we were in Japan I would seek out my little Strawberry.

Suddenly something outside the window caught my eye. A black van, not really all that suspicious since a lot of people drive black vans but something about it seemed familiar. And it wasn't a good feeling either. It was only then that the van turned and I saw what was written on the side of it. Easter. No way it's a coincidence that Easter would be in the United States I thought, no way. The Easter van turned then onto a side street, and then disappeared from view. I guess I really should have seen it coming, the other van I mean, the one that didn't have the Easter insignia on it so that it the company wouldn't be linked to any say illegal activities. Only I was so busy starring in the direction that the Easter van went in, that I didn't see the other van. That is, until it collided with the front of the car my Father and I were driving in.

The impact shook through me. The world shook, and I could feel a searing pain in my head as my head hit the window hard enough to leave a crack in the glass. Red blinded my eyes, but the pain and everything at the same time felt surreal. Like a dream and everything is in slow motion. It was in slow motion too, that I watched the black van slam the car again, this time purposely attacking the driver's side. Dad, the entire side of the car seemed to just crush into itself and I was pressed against the window. My father's entire lower half being hit immediately. His head had broken open with the impact as well. Not only was I soaked in my blood, but my father's as well. I felt like ice, an inch from death myself, my body frozen in fear. I wanted to close my eyes, so that I didn't have to see the horrible sight that was my father. I knew he was dead, but I couldn't look away. I was frozen; it was then that the other car slammed into us again. It was obvious that the driver wanted us dead, and it even occurred to me that this was planned out. The street we were on was like a ghost town, not another car around. It seemed that the air bags had been messed with as well, because otherwise they would have deployed upon first impact. Easter wanted us dead, and they were willing to go pretty far to do it. My body rocked with the car, but the third impact had no affect on me other than whip lash. The other car wasn't done yet though; it just kept coming, crashing into us and then reversing and then crashing into us again. It wasn't going to end until we were both dead either. I was going to die. It occurred to me, and I knew I should try to do something to stop it. I should open the door, and run as far away from the car as I could but even as the idea came the van smashed into our car for a fourth time and this time I wasn't prepared. My head smashed against the window once again, with enough force that I felt darkness creeping into my eyes. No, don't fall asleep. No. It couldn't end like this. Only one image flashed in my mind's eye before I fell into unconsciousness. Amu.

**Amu POV:**

I was just coming home from school, and I was still trying to hold in laughter from the day's events. Tadase, Rima, Nagi, Kukai and I were all in our one class that we all had to together in Middle School. We had a substitute and we wreaked havoc on the poor unsuspecting sub. I chuckled just thinking about it as I walked up the walkway, and opened the door.

"I'm home!" I called slipping off my shoes. I could hear my Mom call from the kitchen.

"Amu? Can you come here for a moment?" I glanced toward the kitchen, confused and wondering what my Mother would want to talk to me about. I walked into the kitchen, and was about to ask what it was when suddenly I noticed that we had a guest sitting at the kitchen table.

Tsukasa! I was really confused now. Something was wrong too, I realized. I hadn't seen Tsukasa ever since I started school at the Middle School and right now the expression he was wearing did not suit his character at all. He was starring dejectedly into a cup of untouched coffee; I guessed my Mom had made for him.

"Tsukasa?" He looked up at me and smiled, but the smile seemed like it would crumble away at any second.

"Hello Amu." His eyes moved from mine back down to stare into the coffee. Almost as if he couldn't bare to look me in the eyes. Suddenly I no longer felt like laughing. I took a seat next to him, and glanced curiously at my Mom. It seemed however that she was uncomfortable looking me in the eyes as well. Something was very very wrong.

"Tsukasa what is it?" I asked in a quiet voice, suddenly very afraid for the answer. Tsukasa sighed down at his coffee, and he painstakingly seemed to gather himself up enough to look at me. It was then that I noticed that his eyes were red and puffy as though he'd either not slept for a very long time or had been crying. My heart tightened in my chest.

"Amu." He whispered. "Amu its Ikuto." I frowned.

"Ikuto?" Tsukasa nodded and I noticed his fist tighten at his side.

"Yes, Amu, there's been an _incident_." His voice seemed to force out the word 'incident' as though he had a much better word for what had happened but didn't think it best to say it out loud. I felt my veins turn to ice.

"An incident?" My eyes widened.

"Yes, it seems that Ikuto and his father got into a car crash when they were in America. Amu, they didn't make it."

I froze. '_Didn't make it'. _As in they were… _Ikuto!_ My hands tightened into fists on my lap. My Mom moved behind me and set her hand on my shoulder, her eyes sad and sympathetic.

_No! No it can't be! Ikuto can't be d- He just can't be! Ikuto._

"No!" I yelled, but it came out as a whisper. Damp tears hit the back of my hands and I realized that I was shaking. _No. No. No. Ikuto._

"How could? A car crash?", I looked up to see Tsukasa watching me.

"Amu.", he said with a glance at my Mother. I seemed that he had something else to tell me, yet he didn't want to say it in front of my Mother. He sighed though, when he realized that she wasn't going to be leaving me when I was so upset.

"Amu I don't think this was an accident." His words were careful, and it was almost in a whisper but my eyes shot open.

"Not an accident?", I repeated. He looked grim.

"I believe it was Easter." He scowled as he said the name, and I felt a shiver run up my spine.

"But- how? I thought Easter was no more." He nodded glancing swiftly at my Mother, who was starring at us with a perplexed expression on her face.

"Yes, but there have been some rumors saying that a few employees of associates are trying to rebuild Easter. They didn't want Ikuto and his father interfering with the company." My gaze met Tsukasa's and I could read the hidden message there. _If they went after Ikuto, they might come after you._

I was then that it really seemed to hit me. Ikuto was dead. It was real. He wasn't coming back. Sobs racked my body, I knew under normal circumstances I would be embarrassed to cry in front of anyone but there wasn't a single fiber left in me at the moment that had room for embarrassment. Ikuto. Ikuto. No. Please no. Ikuto!

My eyes closed and I laid my head against the kitchen table, crying. Tsukasa went home shortly after, with a pat on my back, but I was still crying at the table. Eventually my Mom helped me up to my room, but even there I continued to cry. It was like I would never stop crying either, but then finally I did I fall asleep.

It was, however, only the beginning of my grief.

**Ikuto POV:**

I woke up to darkness. It seemed that either I was blind or I was in room with the lights off. I did hear voices though, but those were not so comforting. I could only hear pieces of the conversation, but of what I heard, none of it sounded too good.

"What is _he_ doing here? You were supposed to eliminate him and the father, Aruto."

"S-S-Sorry Sir. We thought he was dead. I mean the car was hit four times, he should have been killed."

"Yet there he lies?"

"He smashed his head through the glass, there was blood all over the car. When we realized that he was still alive, though my assistant suggested that he might be useful down the road and that maybe we should keep him alive."

More words, but it seemed Ikuto was fading in and out of consciousness during the conversation.

"We remembered how we had the tank, it was a project I've been working on and this seems like the perfect opportunity to try it. Don't you think so, Director?"

Silence. Ikuto was sure however this was not due to him falling out of consciousness this time.

"Yes, very well. Perhaps we can use him in the future. I had been planning on using the girl, but it does seem like he would be easier to control. I mean we have done it before."

There was a chuckling of sardonic laughter, and Ikuto felt sick.

"Alright, you may do as you wish. Just make sure you get him stable before he wakes up, I would prefer not to have him escape."

"Yes Sir." Three different voices chimed. It was then that Ikuto got the idea to escape. He could now feel that he seemed to be in some sort of glass box. A tank? That was what one of the voices said.

"Turn on the water!" A voice commanded, and suddenly Ikuto felt water pouring in by his feet. Crap, were they going to drown him now?

He tried to move, but he now realized that he was being restrained by something. Rope? No, it felt more like wires and they were attached into his skin. He tried, blindly, to pull one of them out but apparently this caught one of the people outside's attention.

"He's awake!"

"Press the button!"

A current rushed through his body, and he felt himself being paralyzed. Then he felt himself falling once again into unconsciousness. This time however he would not be waking up for a long long time.

To be continued...


	2. Awake & Asleep Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- Awake & Asleep**

**A/N- CHAPTER 1. ENJOY**

**Amu POV:**

I was in the middle of a dream. One of those dreams where you know your dreaming, and I knew I was dreaming because Ikuto was there. I was in my room back home, and he was standing on my balcony telling me to come outside. He wanted to take me somewhere. He wouldn't say where but I was happy to go. I didn't want to stay in my room any longer. It was when I opened the sliding glass door to the balcony though that he disappeared.

I knew that's how it would end, because this wasn't the first time I'd had this dream and yet I still opened the door knowing that he would disappear but still hoping that this time he would stay.

It was then that I woke up, my alarm clock buzzing at me, trying to wake me up. I slammed my hand down on it, hard, and sighed. Wiping a few tears from my eyes and looking around the room. I was in my dorm at River Coast Academy, where I was now a sophomore in high school. I shook my head, trying not to think about the dream. I'd had it every once and awhile for the past four years, since the day I found out that Ikuto was dead. It always left me sad, and yet somehow happy at the same time because it gave me a glimpse of him and it also comforted me in knowing that I hadn't forgotten what he had looked like. After the incident I tried to continue to go to the Middle school with my friends but every time I saw them I'd remember our time as guardians. Of us fighting Easter, and that always brought me back to Ikuto. It was during this time that I realized that I'd loved him. Which only made my grief so much worse. About halfway through the year, my parents decided that it was best for me to get away for awhile. My Father knew the principal at River Coast, who had told him about an opening they'd had. The school was only a few towns away so that I could visit my family on the weekends.

I agreed to go to the boarding school, obviously, and it is here I have lived happily for three and a half years forgetting everything in the past. Though sometimes, like when my dreams remind me, I am forced to remember. I got up and went over to the closet and pulled out my uniform. If I didn't hurry I would be late. I pulled on my white shirt and black skirt and then slipped on a pair of black heels. I looked in the mirror; my face had changed over the past four years. My hair grew out long, so that now it flowed down my back and my face was skinnier and more angular from before having lost the baby fat in my cheeks. I looked down at my jewelry box sitting on my night stand and slipped on my silver charm bracelet. I had gotten it from my parents as a birthday present two years ago and since then my friends and family were always buying my charms for it. My friend Mimi got me a silver strawberry charm. Katie bought me a tiny microphone for singing with her on karaoke night. Kurogane got me a paintbrush charm. My boyfriend Cory got me a silver rose. Then my parents bought my 'x', spade, heart, diamond, and club (clover) charms. The charm I was starring at now though was the one that I had bought myself. A cat charm. I sighed, but just as I was about to trade the bracelet for a different one there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." I called. The door opened to reveal a girl with long blonde wavy hair, and ice blue eyes. All the guys in our class agreed that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. The only thing was her personality, which was about the same as what mine had been "Cool and Spicy", only hers was more like "Icy Cold.

"Amu." She said in an annoyed tone, leaning against the door. "Your boyfriend wanted me to tell you to hurry up."

"Okay okay, Mimi. I'm coming." I said brushing my hair and grabbing my shoulder bag and following her out the door.

Downstairs I saw Kurogane, Cory, and Katie waiting. Kurogane had dark hair that came down past his eyes, but when you could see his eyes they were dark brown. Katie was his sister, who had large brown eyes, freckles, and auburn hair that was cut short. Mimi walked over to Kurogane and slipped her hand in his. Like Cory and I they were dating. Then Cory. I smiled at him as he walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

"Hi Amu." He said pecking me on the cheek. I studied his face. He had sandy colored hair, and tan skin. Originally he was from America, having been born in California, so he also had a bit of an accent. We'd been together for the past year, and so far everything was going great.

"Hey." I whispered and slide my hand into his as we walked toward the cafeteria.

**Ikuto POV:**

It was dark. That was my first thought. Then I heard something, like wind but not. My breathing? Yes, that must be it. It felt like my mind had been disconnected for a long time, and now it was suddenly reconnecting with my body. What's going on? Where am I? Who am I? There were so many thoughts, and I just felt like my mind couldn't focus. Then like whispers in my head, I started to remember.

My name is Ikuto. My father has been killed. I was killed too. Or maybe I wasn't? I wasn't sure. The people behind it though were Easter and they were trying to build up the company again. They were going to use me for something. I needed to move. I needed to escape. Amu.

Suddenly I heard voices outside again.

"He's waking up." One of them said, and a bright light cut through me like a knife.

"Should we be worried that he might escape?"

"No, after four years in hibernation, he'll have a difficult time enough just trying to breathe. Now help me get him out."

I felt a shift, someone pulling me. I wanted to struggle, but I was limp and confused as to what was happening. The light was so bright too, I wanted to scream but my mouth just didn't seem to work.

Finally it seemed the voices got me out of wherever they had been keeping me, and I was unceremoniously dumped to the floor. Cold. I thought, feeling a tile floor beneath me. It seemed like I lay there forever before my eyes began to adjust to the lights and I was able to see the four people around me. Three men and a woman, with all harsh and serious faces. Even the woman looked as though she had not an ounce of pity for me. This was not the Easter I knew this was a far more deadly Easter than the one before it. I recognized none of their faces. Then one of them, the leader of the group came forward and stood looming above me.

"Hello Ikuto. My name is Chiiro, an employee of Easter. I understand that you would be confused, but I am going to explain everything. Then when the time comes it will be in your best interest to cooperate with us. Am I understood?" I gave him the best glare I could manage.

Chiiro turned to the other members of his team and started to issue orders.

"Get him into the room we have prepared. He will sleep there and regain his strength; no doubt the procedure has been harsh on him. Then tomorrow morning I will be in to explain everything to him. Whatever you do, do not let him out of your sight? Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" They all chorused. I tried to move to stand, but when I tried to move my body just kept going limp. The two men reached for me, and one of them slung me over his shoulder. I was carried out of the room. Before we left the room however I got a good look at it. There were machines along every wall. Monitors, and screens and flashing buttons but what really disturbed me was what was in the middle of the room. A glass tank. The water was out of it now, and the wires hung uselessly inside but I had a horrible feeling that not that long ago _that_ was where I was. Trapped inside.

I was taken to another room; one with bad fluorescent lighting, two cots on either side of the room, and a small bathroom connected to it. I was set down on one of the beds, were I was left, the lights having been clicked off. Only a short while later I was asleep.

**Amu POV:**

I was walking back from the cafeteria with Cory. We'd just finished dinner ,and as we always did, after dinner we went on a walk. Around the campus was a little park of sorts and the school had put in benches and picnic tables and pathways through the little park just for the students to use.

It was getting dark, we'd watched the sun set awhile ago and now the moon was rising high overhead. We both took a seat on one of the benches. It was a full moon tonight, and it was absolutely breath taking. It was cold though, and a chill crawled up my spine making me move closer to Cory. He noticed and put his arm over my shoulders.

"Cold.", he asked. I nodded.

"The moon's pretty tonight, isn't it?" I said glancing up at it through the tree branches.

"Yeah." He answered and I rested my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes.

"Are you getting tired?" I sat up and nodded.

"Maybe a little bit." I said with a yawn. "It's been a long day."

"Maybe we should go back then."

"Okay." We stood up, and taking my hand Cory led me to the dorms. The school was silent, and looming. Everyone was already asleep so Cory only walked me to the entrance of the dorms where we parted ways.

"Good night, Amu." He said kissing me good night.

"Night, Cory." I turned and went into the girl's wing of the dorms, walking along the long corridors to my room. Once I got to the hallway that my room was on, however, I noticed someone by my door. The lights were turned off by this time of night, so I couldn't see who it was. Immediately I was mentally kicking myself. Great it was a teacher, and now I was going to get detention for being out past curfew.

Shoulders slumped I walked toward the person, awaiting my punishment for being up. As soon as the figure saw me, however, the situation changed. This was no teacher I'd ever seen before standing at my door. It was a man I'd never seen before. His face was stern, his expression blank. My mind flashed, "Danger. Danger." My heart sped, and I felt myself turning to run but the man was quicker. His hand flashed out and caught me by the shoulder pulling me back.

"Hinamori, Amu." He spoke in a scratchy voice. "I need you to come with me." His hand came up to cover my mouth, so my screams were muffled.

_Cory! Mimi! Kurogane! Katie! _

_Somebody help me!_

To be Continued...


	3. Face to Face Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- Face to Face**

**A/N-CHAPTER TWO. ENJOY!**

**Ikuto POV:**

I slept for hours to wake up to someone shaking me.

"Get up!" A gruff voice commanded, shaking my shoulder. I opened one eye to glare at whoever was trying to wake me to find Chiiro, an employee of Easter. My glare intensified, but I sat up on the cot I'd been sleeping on.

"Don't give me that look, Brat. You want to know what's going on don't you? I'm doing you a favor here; I don't _have_ to tell you anything."

My hand tightened into a fist, but I eased my expression. I did want to know what was going on, so that I would be able to come up with a plan to escape. That was my main priority, escape.

"That's better." Chiiro said. "Now where do I begin…" He stared at the wall contemplatively and scratched his chin.

"I'm not completely sure about how you've got here or why. I only know what I've heard. The first group who worked on your project have already been promoted to other projects by now. Easter is growing, and becoming a stronger company than it ever was before. From what I've heard you were actually part of the reason Easter was falling apart to begin with. You and your Dad."

I tensed at the mention of my father. Easter had killed him, I knew that much. It made me want to punch this guy. My fist tightened.

"That's why they tried to kill you and him. They succeeded in killing your father, and thought they had killed you too. Turns out they were wrong though, you lived, and one of the 'New' Easter's top scientists came up with this little project of ours. You see, he had been developing all this new technology and since they wanted you dead anyway they'd decided to use you as a sort of guinea pig. The scientist had created this glass chamber, as we called it, and what it did was preserve whatever was in it alive or not. So whatever was in it wouldn't age at all, yet it could still heal and we could run all the tests and experiments we wanted."

Chiiro's face darkened almost manically.

"For instance if we wanted to, over time we could figure out a way to control you. Even if we had to do a little surgery in the process. We also might have been able to put in a 'switch' if you will, so we would be able to turn the control we have over the experiment on and off."

I felt shock and horror settle over me. No. Not again, I thought. I would not let them control me again!

"You know what?" Chiiro said in an amused voice. "Having you for the experiment, worked out perfectly because for the project to work the subject, you, would have to have charas. Sort of like your magical potential. The machines feed and use that energy, like with what I heard the last thing they used to try to control you. A violin tuner was it? This time however it's different, it won't make you sick and drained. What's the use of control if you can't use if for very long in fear of your subject dying on you."

Chiiro chuckled sardonically.

"No, now instead you feel none of the affects and your transformations will last longer."

I was definitely going to punch this guy. "I don't have my Chara anymore." I told him. "So I can't transform."

"Ah, but you can. It's true that your Chara goes away when it's no longer needed, but you can still transform and use its power. You are the Key's user aren't you?"

Chiiro reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shining gold key with glistening gems etched into it.

"Only you can use it. Your father could use it too, but he's no longer in the picture. So it's lucky for us that we decided not to kill you. We were going to use that girl, the one who can use the lock but why waste time on her when we already have you. Of course, we will have to get her out of the way. We can't have her interfering again. Of course she hasn't interfered with any of our progress in quite some time, so maybe that won't be necessary but just in case." He trailed off.

_Amu._ Chiiro looked at me expectantly, and a smirk spread across his face at the utter hate in my eyes.

"Is there any questions you want to ask me, Ikuto?" I was shaking with anger. What were they going to do to Amu? I had to get out of here, warn her. Then suddenly a thought popped into my head. Realization.

"You said that this 'glass chamber' can keep whatever is in it preserved without ageing. How long have I been here exactly?"

Chiiro sick grin widened, and suddenly I had a feeling he was waiting for me to ask this.

"Four years.

An hour later after Chiiro left, I sat down heavily on the cot. Four years, that was a long time. I'd gone into the bathroom as soon as he left and starred at my reflection in the mirror, I looked exactly the same. Seventeen years old, I'd told my reflection. Not twenty one, seventeen. I lay back against the bed, and starred up at the ceiling.

Everyone thought I was dead. I'd been missing for four years. Most likely Easter had gotten everyone to believe I _had_ died along with my father in a terrible 'accidental' car crash. No one would even suspect Easter was behind it, most everyone probably thought Easter was destroyed or at least a good law abiding company now.

Utau, my mom, my friends at school, Tadase, _Amu_ they all thought I was dead! I was sure; because if they knew Easter had me they would have come to find me a long time ago. I sighed, and closed my eyes.

I didn't sleep. I couldn't, so I only let my mind go blank as I lay there trying not to think anymore. Four years.

I was startled by the door opening about another hour later. I opened my eyes. The door slammed shut, and I sat up expecting to see Chiiro. What I saw instead surprised me.

It was dark in the small room I was in. I had turned the lights off, so the only light to see by was the glimmer of light coming in from under the door. Despite that, however, I could clearly tell that the person who had come in now was not Chiiro.

It was a girl, her back to me so that I couldn't see her face. It was obvious that she didn't know that anyone else was in here; her eyes had not adjusted to the light yet. So as she stood next to the other cot I watched her.

She was pretty tall for a girl, and skinny. Sort of like Utau. Her hair was long and straight and it fell all the way down her back. I couldn't tell what color it was because of the light, but I thought that it was a light color. Maybe blonde or something. Then almost as an afterthought I realized that she was hot, with definite curves. Then she turned, and I froze.

Light glanced off of her hair as she turned, and I could suddenly see that it was light pink. Her eyes looked straight as me, and even in the dark I could see the glistening golden orbs. Her face was skinnier, more angular than it was before. She was definitely taller and curvier but I knew this girl and I felt sure I would know her anywhere.

"Amu."

A genuine smile, something that I was sure now that had not occurred in four years, crossed my face. I expected her to smile, or look shocked as she recognized me. I mean she'd thought I was dead for four years, but whatever I was expecting she did none of that.

Her body sat heavily down on the cot behind her, and her face went into her hands. Causing her long hair to fall off her shoulder and in front of her face. From where I sat, I could hear her mumbling to herself.

**Amu POV:**

They threw me into a dark room. My kidnappers. It was dark and I couldn't see well, so for a moment I just starred at the door they'd just pushed me through. Then I felt eyes watching me, and I tensed. Spinning around I realized my eyes had finally adjusted. I was in a small room with two cots, and a small door no doubt leading to a tinier bathroom. That wasn't what my eyes had really focused on though. No they were too busy starring into the midnight blue eyes of the most gorgeous guy on the planet. It was too bad the sight of him, had my heart in knots. Ikuto. I felt myself falling backwards heavily on one of the cots. I covered my eyes with my hands, trying to get Ikuto's image and his voice out of my head.

I was dreaming, I hadn't noticed before but that was the only answer. I must be dreaming, getting kidnapped and seeing Ikuto. No doubt I'd fallen asleep next to Cory on the bench.

"Wake up. Wake up." I told myself, pulling pieces of hair that had fallen around my face. I rubbed my eyes. "Wake up. Ikuto is dead, you are still at school. Nobody kidnapped you. This is all a dream. Wake up."

It was then that I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and that voice again.

"Amu?" I looked up with a jolt. I expected to be waking up in my dorm room, or on the bench in the park. What I saw though was Ikuto starring down at me with a worried expression.

I blinked. Why wasn't I waking up? I starred up at Ikuto with a confused expression, but he wasn't going away and I wasn't waking up. I knew I was dreaming, because the Ikuto in front of me looked exactly as he did four years ago. Yet something was off. Maybe it was the way he was staring at me, his eyes full of concern.

A look I had never seen on Ikuto before. My dreams were my memories, right? Or maybe it was how when he grasped my shoulder before it had felt real. Or maybe it was how everything else around me felt real as well. The springy cot I was sitting on now felt substantial enough. I had to ask.

"I-Ikuto?" The smirk I knew so well took over his face.

"Who else?"

"But…" I opened my mouth to explain to him how he couldn't possibly be here because he was dead, but nothing came out. His smirk disappeared and he sat down next to me on the cot. It was then that he explained what was going on.

To be Continued...


	4. Escape to You Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Escape to You

**A/N- CHAPTER THREE. I TRIED TO MAKE THIS AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE, BUT IM STILL UNSURE ABOUT HOW REALISTIC THE ENTIRE STORY IS IN THE FIRST PLACE...OH WELL. ENJOY!**

**Amu POV:**

I felt like I was trapped in a beautiful nightmare. I had been kidnapped by Easter, but Ikuto was alive. They had killed his father, but Ikuto is alive. They had kept him here locked away for four years, but Ikuto is alive. They were trying to control him again, but Ikuto is alive. By the way, did I mention, Ikuto is alive!

My heart and mind were both so confused. All this time, these last four years, and he's alive. Somehow I couldn't stop thinking it. He's alive. He's alive. He's alive. I felt like crying for joy, and I know I was starring at Ikuto the whole time he was telling me about what had happened like he was some kind of alien but I couldn't help it. He was alive! I could stare at him forever. My heart was singing. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and cry, but I sat frozen and listened to him until he finished telling me what had happened.

"Amu, we need to figure out a way to get out of here." I nodded, numbly.

I found myself memorizing his face; he looked exactly as I remembered. Maybe a little older, on account for the few months we was overseas before he was kidnapped, but still heartbreakingly as I remembered. Ikuto. My heart thudded heavily against my chest, but suddenly a little voice whispered in the back of my mind. I wanted to push it back down to wherever it had crawled up from, but it echoed in my skull. A name. _Cory._

I suddenly felt ashamed, I find out Ikuto is alive and all of a sudden I can't even remember my own boyfriend. I'm horrible, I thought, trying to push down my feelings. There were more important things right now. Yes, you're overly ecstatic that Ikuto is alive I told myself but you have to focus on getting out of here. Escape is the main thing right now. I made up my face into a look of determination.

"We have to focus on getting out of here!" Ikuto gave me an odd look for a moment, but then it was gone and he was nodding his face solemn.

"I think I've got a plan." He said.

**Ikuto POV:**

Amu, sitting on the cot next to me, listened silently as I told her everything. I couldn't really understand what was going through her mind though. She was staring at me, her eyes a mix of emotions I couldn't understand. She looked happy, sad, scared, and a bit of something else I wasn't sure about. Love? No, it's not possible. Sure I still love her, but to me it seems like it's only been a few months since I've seen her. For her it's been four years. How can you still love someone after four years? I don't even know if she did love me back then, she was so much younger.

The look on her face confused me, and when I finished with my story I was even more thrown. She looked like she was internally fighting with herself, her face one of torment and some other strong emotion.

"Amu, we need to figure out a way to get out of here." I told her gently, trying to pull her out of her thoughts. She remained frozen, besides a tiny nod that she gave me to indicate that she had heard me. Suddenly she stood up, startling me.

"We have to focus on getting out of here!" She said with a look of determination. I stared at her with a mix of two feelings worry and amusement. Wasn't that what I had just said? I shook it off thinking back to some of my escape plans that I had thought up while laying in the dark for those hours before she got here. Before I had marked most of my plans off, they had required two people, but now I could put them into action.

"I think I've got a plan." She looked at me expectantly.

It was a rather simple one, but I was hoping that despite Easter's newfound edge whoever was guarding us would still be dim enough not to recognize what we were doing.

"All you have to do is get someone to open the door, and then you just have to hold their attention for a few seconds." She raised her eye-brows at me.

"And what am I supposed to distract them with exactly?" she asked?

"Anything you want. Say you're hungry. You need water. Or that you feel sick. Say that there is no toilet paper in the bathroom. Or that you absolutely cannot be in the same room as me. Actually forget the last one, try not to draw attention to me."

She gave a small smile. "No toilet paper?" she asked and then I heard her mumble. "Well at least now I know for sure I'm not dreaming."

"All right." She said in a louder voice as she went to the door. She began knocking on it furiously.

"Hey. Hey! Excuse me! Can anyone hear me? Hello? Someone. Please open the door. The door to the bathroom is jammed. I can't get in and I really _really _have to go. _Please _I'm _desperate!_" I couldn't help but smirk, her acting wasn't so bad it actually seemed like she really had to go. And I guess it had the employees of Easter convinced too because a few moments later the door was being opened and I moved to my position.

Two faces popped into the doorway. Luckily neither of which were Chiiro, who seemed to be in charge of these two. One was the woman who wore a stoic expression on her face. The other was a rather round guy with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Okay now what's the problem?" , he asked eyeing Amu. The woman starred at me intently as if waiting for me to make a move. I just looked at her with a bored expression, leaning against the wall by the door.

"Well, uh. You see" Amu stumbled. "I just really have to go to the bathroom, but the uh the door it seems to be stuck." She shifted from foot to foot.

**Amu POV:**

I was embarrassed the portly man was staring at me with a tormented look on his face and he looked as though he would love to be anywhere but here. I wasn't really sure what to say, but I was trying to write it off as embarrassment instead which was surprisingly easy considering. I just knew I had to distract the guard long enough for Ikuto to, for Ikuto to do what exactly? I wasn't sure. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him. It seemed he was having a starring contest with the woman guard. She was blocking the door and I could see how he was frowning slightly despite trying to put on a bored expression to cover it.

I shifted from foot to foot trying to look like I was trying really hard to hold back certain bodily functions. Porker frowned as if he were silently wondering how long I could hold out for.

"Do you maybe have another bathroom I could use?" I asked. It was then that the woman guarding the door jumped in.

"Oh no. That won't be happening. I see what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work." She looked pointedly at Porker. "Go try the bathroom door, Brian. I bet it's not jammed at all. They're just trying to pull a fast one on us." She said. Porker, whom I now took to be Brian moved over to the door and with ease flung it open. If possible his frown deepened and he gave Ikuto and I a look that seemed to say 'I hate kids' 'I hate my job' 'Why me?'

The woman looked smug. "Let this be your final warning, kids. You'll not be escaping, get it out of your heads, and as for the next time you try pulling a stunt like this there will be" she grinned menacingly. "punishment." Then with that they both left, closing and locking the door behind them, plunging us once again into the dark.

Once my eyes adjusted once again I sat down heavily on the bed. Ikuto hadn't moved from his spot from the door, and was now starring at me with a look I didn't understand. He looked _smug_? That didn't make any sense; he never got the chance to escape.

"Sorry." I said. "I didn't know how to distract both of the guards, and the woman was guarding the door." A smirk lit his face.

"Okay, what's going on?" I asked finally and then I watched as casually he went over to the door and opened it a crack.

"But how?" I asked in amazement. With his other hand he showed me a credit card.

"I found this earlier in the pocket of my pants." he said. "When they left I just slid it into the door over the lock, so that when they closed the door it would shut but not lock. By the way the whole appearance of our escaping through you leaving for a bathroom thing, that was a good touch." Still in awe I went to him by the door, a full smile on my face.

"Alright. So then now what?" I asked. His midnight blue eyes starred at me for a moment and just as it used to it brought a blush to my face. His smirk grew.

"Now, we escape."

Quickly Ikuto looked out and scouted out the area outside.

"Two cameras", he whispered. ", but I think we might be able to get by unseen if we hurry. They're rotating cameras so if we time it just right we can run by while the camera is pointing the other way." I nodded. "So when I give you the signal run." He gave me a long look. I nodded again, but suddenly felt a little sick thinking about the woman and the words she'd said as she left. _"Let this be your final warning, kids. You'll not be escaping, get it out of your heads, and as for the next time you try pulling a stunt like this there will be punishment." _I shook my head; I needed to concentrate on escaping. Ikuto looked back outside the door again; keeping the door almost closed so as the camera would not spot him. Then, eyes still glued to the cameras, with a finger he motioned me to follow and then he took off. Like something had shook him into motion he was running down the hallway like a thief after a heist.

I couldn't seem to catch up with him. As he shot down the hall my legs felt stiff and entirely too short for running at the speed he was going at. When he seemed to catch my trouble, I saw his midnight blue eyes dart over to me and in seemingly a moments decision he reached back and grabbed my hand pulling me forward.

Hallway after hallway we ran for our lives. Surprisingly though there was not a single person in the hall ways. I was wondering about this until suddenly I saw two guards rushing at us. They were lean men with rough faces, their eyes covered by pairs of sunglasses which I decided was really kind of ridiculous if you were planning on being indoors. Panic rose up in my throat, and my heart's beat started humming so loud it seemed to pulse in my ears. The men were rushing us, head on, and Ikuto wasn't stopping. His speed never even slowed. It would seem as if he'd never even saw the assailants except for a cold steely look that suddenly came into his eyes.

As we came closer to the guards Ikuto dropped my hand in a swift motion and seemed to run even faster ahead of me to reach the guards. The two men slowed in their approach then so as to take down Ikuto before he'd got past them. I slowed to watch as one of the guards rushed ahead of the other in an attempt to grab Ikuto, but he was too fast for the guard. In a couple of rapid motions Ikuto moved out of the way of the rushing guard at the last second then in the same stream of movement he rammed the guard to the side, knocking him into the wall. The second guard came at Ikuto know, this one trying to grab Ikuto as well. Deftly he dodged him, his night sky blue hair becoming a blur as he moved, spinning so that he was suddenly behind his attacker and delivering a swift punch to the side of the guys head. He went down with a moan, holding his head. Unfortunately by this time the other guard had recovered in time for a second attempt at taking down Ikuto. He was clumsy though, dizzy still no doubt from banging his head into the wall and Ikuto simply kicked his legs out from underneath him. He landed on the floor with a thud. Once more Ikuto reached for my hand.

"Let's go." he said. "I don't think I can take down ten of these guys."

To be Continued...


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